We have found 19,412 posts across 4 actor forums:
Thoughts on demo reels by Latinoboy77 • last post Mar 19th
I'm not new to acting. Just turned 50 and have done over 40 plays in NYC and upstate NY, but I've never done film work. After a hiatus due to family issues, I'm now looking to find an agent and approach CD's. I'm realistic with my expectations and highly confident in my skills as an actor and business person. Because I have no film work (and I seriously don't want to do student films at this time), would it be acceptable to put up a few scenes with actor friends, record and edit them properly, and use this as a beginning demo reel until I can get some more substantive material? Thoughts and ideas appreciated.
Hi r/acting! For serious actors out there I recommend you get Jenna Fischer's book, The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide. by danieltargaryean • last post Mar 19th
It's such a motivational and helpful book. I've only read the first two chapters and I've learned so much from her. It's about $20 (pricey I know) but it's a great book and I totally recommend it. If you have any other books about acting that you'd like to share, please comment or PM me the name of the book!
How to become a hollywood actor if i live in sweden? by Tehleetesgey • last post Mar 19th
Im a teenager and ive never acted in my entire life. Only in my room. I also suffer from social anxiety and selective mutism so the chances are low. And lets be real, I would never get the lead role in a hollywood movie because im asian.. (i wish i was in marvel). and are there even hollywood agents in sweden? Theres no way I can get discovered by an agent. Im a freaking nobody. It just seems impossible. I just wanna die because im so worthless with no future. My dream is to see myself on the big screen. I wanna be like tom holland.. yeah ik asians are supposed to be smart but im dumb as fuck
I looked out at the audience and they weren't there. All I saw were buildings, roads, hats and faceless bodies. by urkel940 • last post Mar 18th
As I kept performing, by the final scene- my scene partners and fellows actor's faces started to age. Their hair was longer, their faces dirtier or cleaner based off the role. Roofs came over my head. Windows were in the balconies. Nighttime and daytime switched around, lights were where I knew they didn't exist. This has been happening for a week of productions now and it happens in my life as well. A song or sound and suddenly shit will appear where it doesn't exist or there will be entire water sequences in the middle of the road. Anyone ever experienced this from the stage? Don't know why it's happening.
Some outlandish thing happened in my acting class... or was it by lights2000 • last post Mar 18th
So I've been taking some acting classes for past year or so which I enjoy very much. A few days ago two actors put up a scene from George Axelrod's The Seven Year Itch (the scene where they are meeting for the first time in his apt.) This is their second time doing this this semester. First time, it was really great and they received only the high praise from the teacher. Now a week later, they are trying again. Apparently they didn't get to rehearse at all since then (that's what the female scene partner told the teacher before the scene. She said she had no time due to her job). Now, the male actor (whom I heard is a seasoned actor) came on the stage dressed in nothing but stockings and a g string barely covering his privates...!! He mops the floor listening to music. And then the actress rings the bell. He puts on his clothes and answers the door. I see that now he has little spot of blood on his forehead and he is playing the scene as if he is slightly drunk. Everything went ok except that he improvised and asked her to sit on his lap (which is NOT in the scene). She said no and I think he asked her twice or so. When the guy came out in g strings we all laughed. Here was this middle aged guy not in the best of physical shape mopping the floor. And it was totally unexpected! But nobody laughed (unlike last week) as the scene progressed. Anyway, it appears that the teacher was somewhat stunned. She just said well you did a totally different play and that's about all she said. No more feedback. The poor girl was obviously stunned (not sure she knew at this point he came out in g string or not as she was behind the door). She ran out of class crying. She cried for sometime. It was really strange. Here was this guy whose previous scenes he put up with others were so great and even thrilling. And then he did something so outlandish and doesn't seem to remotely warranted by the play- at least in my mind and also seem to be shared by the teacher as well. What do you think about this? I thought the teacher could have explored more like asking him why he made those choices etc. Maybe she was too shocked...! Anyway I want to hear what your take on this- I am relatively new to the scene.
Going Against the Grain by uniquedevice • last post Mar 18th
I’m currently trying to pursue a career as an actor but I’m currently at the age where most of my peers and the people around me are studying in the more traditional sense or are just starting to enter the workforce. Since the path of an actor is so ambiguous and sort of falls outside the typical flow of society, it starts to form some sort of doubt in my mind. I feel a lot of pressure especially since I don’t have much to show for or justify the decision I’ve made. I can see that from the outside it may appear like I’m not doing anything with my life. Perhaps these feelings will dissipate when sort of break comes through. But it’s just tough when I’m pouring time and money into unfruitful outcomes. I’ve sort of come to terms with that it’s something I just have to do, that it’s just the nature of the profession and you can’t have the good without the bad. I try to tell myself that it’ll all be worth it in the end and the struggles will only make the victories that much sweeter, but I can only lie to myself for so long. When acting is pretty much all I have in life and the phone isn’t ringing it makes for discouraging lulls. Does anyone else sometimes feel the same way and are there any things you do or tell yourself to help you deal with it?
Why are theatrical monologues better than film? by newoldactor • last post Mar 18th
Hi r/acting! 30 yr old male specimen here. I'm considering applying for drama school, and wanted to read up on it to decide if that's the direction for me (so thanks for all the info in the sidebar btw, I haven't gotten through it all yet). I'm not going to ask you to find me a monologue or anything like that, my question is... what's wrong with choosing a monologue from for example Game of Thrones? I get that theatre is the actor's.... thing, and a movie is like, the director's thing, but you still have to perform the monologue live in an audition so... what's the difference?
CASTING CALL ($100 signing)!!! Female Voice Actor for Completely New Project: Audio Action Series by SOBcasting • last post Mar 18th
[You do not need to already have your own equipment] Story Title: SOB Wanted: Female voice actor to supplement current cast of 10. No Restrictions on location. May be living anywhere. The current team has people recording in North America, Europe, and Asia :) Project Details: In order to cater to the newly emerging market of audio only entertainment (ie podcasts, creepypastas, etc.), we are converting an original novel into an “audio book on steroids”. One that will use a cast of actors, along with soundeffects, music, and voice over performances rather than the bland narration found in most audiobooks. This project will be uploaded to YouTube for free and all actors are entitled to a portion of thw generated ad revenue. Compensation (along with $100 cover): Although this is a passion project and none of us are being paid, each voice actor will be entitled to 5% of any generated ad revenue. Anybody cast from here will also receive a $100. If you do not have adequate equipment, some of the $100 will be used to help buy you some equipment. Disclaimer: We are taking advantage of the fact that this story will be unrated and doesnt need to comply with any publisher restrictions. Therefore, candidates must be comfortable tackling a story with extreme violence, profanity, drug use and suggestive themes. Full script and several demo tapes (indicative of the final product) are completed and available upon request. If interested, please email at agkhan3129@gmail.com with Subject Line (SOB Reddit). Hope to hear from you soon :) LINK TO SAMPLE EPISODE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M-0bpPF8Rw-b_TrPV9b5BgbkF8IJ46WK/view Quick background before watching The MC finds himself in a mexican standoff between rival crime syndicates that are trying to get their hands on the spoils from a heist they just pulled off. If he doesn't get the money, his family is dead. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND LISTENING TO THE WHOLE THING JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO. THE STORY TACKLES SOME VERY STRONG ISSUES (CHILD PROSTITUTION , CANNIBALISM, KIDNAP/MUTILATION RINGS, ETC) IN A VERY DIRECT WAY.
Indian actor says the same line in 15 emotions - great expressive range by GoRush87 • last post Mar 17th
There seems to be a stigma against referring to a performance derived from a real-life figure as an "impression". by CameronTheCinephile • last post Mar 17th
Ever notice this? The word "impression" is always rejected with a statement like "Actor X pulls off more than just a mere impression - he embodies the man entirely". Does this actually mean anything, or is it just some buzzphrase? Because to "embody someone entirely", if you ask me, is just a really good impression. Yeah, so Gary Oldman, for instance, brought a lot of nuance and depth to his Winston Churchill, along with capturing the voice and mannerisms. Still an impression, right? What's the shame in saying that?
Guys, is improv a cult? by kid_crad • last post Mar 16th
Firstly, I like improv a lot. I just feel like I might have Stockholm Syndrome... For background-- I graduated from film school about 1 1/2 years ago w/a screenwriting BA and just wrapped up a studio gig where I realized working behind a desk is not the part of film I want in on. I always secretly knew this, but assumed I would either stop having the urge to be an actor or strike gold as a writer and somehow never ever think about it again. I *want* to get into acting. Strongly, obsessively. The school I went to was highly specialized and writers weren't allowed to act in our school plays, only acting majors were. So I stuck to what was accessible... comedy. In college I auditioned for improv and sketch and did that a whole lot, because I was already a writer and I got to act out whatever I wrote. I performed a lot around town after college and was on a few teams/troupes. I finished UCB's curriculum and understand the Harold, but I don't feel like it's anything other than a cult. It doesn't seem like a real acting school. All they do is charge you a ton to take classes and then tell you to pay them to perform if you are "lucky" enough to be on a team. I feel like it's not accredited even though it technically is for this reason, and people get stuck there or don't get the gold at the end of the rainbow. It's also a cult vibe. Everyone is very competitive and mean. I was in their Sanctum once or twice and it just seemed like a bunch of bitchy hipster kids shooting daggers at me for even being in the same room as them. They don't even feel like actors, they feel like mean, fashionable college students pretending to be actors. The house teams are GREAT, but that's 0.05% of the community. I am sure those people are nice, but the entire school itself is not. It seems like a dead end. But I am not trying to be an actor because I think one gig/school is worth more than another, I am trying to do it because it is all I think about 24/7. It's all I thought about when I was directing my student film, all I think about while writing, all I think about at night when I'm trying to sleep. That is not the vibe I get from UCB. At 23, I feel like it's too late for me to make more mistakes and I want to leave improv if it is just a cult where they promise you opportunities that simply never come. I was comfortable playing this game when I was 21, but I'm aging and I'm getting nervous I will never be able to be a real comedy actor unless I do something over than improv and sketch 3x a week, blowing through all my money and embarrassing my friends when I tell them how much I spent on classes. I'm sorry if this seems bitter, I promise it is not, I am just frightened I'm wasting my youth with improv when maybe I should just be doing sketch elsewhere or applying/auditioning to be in videos for companies like Funny or Die.
Harvard and riches, or acting? by MattyCRapsX • last post Mar 15th
As a child, I dreamed of being an actor. It died out going into middle school, and I assumed it was just another childish whim. I am now a senior in high school, and as it is second semester I’ve had a lot of free time. I’ve spent it watching so many movies these past few months. Maybe it was the emotion I felt watching them, or maybe it was watching the Oscars or Call Me by Your Name, but last week I decided that I wanted act in films—that I want to make people feel emotion just like I had. I thought it was a fleeting aspiration, but it’s been a week and I can not stop thinking about it. Every night, I perform monologues, movie scenes, or anything I can get my hands on. I constantly imagine myself as an actor, doing the arduous auditions, casting calls, and hard work it takes. The scary thing is that I can imagine myself doing it. That’s scary because throughout my high school career, I’ve always believed I wanted to be a neurosurgeon/neuro-researcher. That’s scary because no matter how many times I said that I loved the brain, I could never actually envision myself researching or being a surgeon—it was always theoretical. That’s scary because something I just decided on last week feels more natural to me than something I’ve been decided on for years. Next year, I will be attending Harvard as a freshman. I could research in the most distinguished neuroscience facility in the world, change lives with my research, and become more rich and successful that I ever thought I could be. But now that I think about it, I’m sure that I’ve been allured by the facade of practical applications in my intended research to see that I don’t think I ever truly wanted to do the research. I just wanted to see if I could change lives. But I could also pursue acting, taking small roles here and there throughout my four years in college and begin to take larger roles after I graduate. I am not entirely sure if I even enjoy acting because I have zero experience in the field. I am just dumbfounded that I can see myself acting in the future and not anything else. Is this just a phase? What is going on? Any and all advice will be treasured. This could change my life
I thought this was pretty important when I read it, so I’m posting it. It’s from an article/interview with Larry Moss from backstage. What are your thoughts by mockmejay • last post Mar 15th
BSW: Do you believe anybody can be taught to act? Moss: The basics, sure. But I find that most people who go to acting class don't love acting. They love attention. There comes a point in your development as an actor when you find out whether you have the imagination, the love of the literature, the love to create a character, and the desire to be a conduit of the human experience. When you're excited, not about you, but about ideas and writing and other lives, you're an actor. If you just want someone to tell you you're wonderful, you're not an actor, you're a show-off and will probably give up acting. Furthermore, you're probably self-destructive, because you're not interested in acting but in satisfying some emotional aspect from the past. If you don't have a good relationship with yourself, no matter how talented you are, you're going to screw up your career. Your motive can't be to try to heal your past by acting. You've got to have a relationship with yourself in which you believe that you're valuable and have something to give. Acting is about what you get to give, not what you try to get. https://www.backstage.com/news/the-actors-way-ask-not-what-acting-can-do-for-you-veteran-acting-teacher-larry-moss-explains-that-actors-who-love-their-craft-will-concentrate-on-what-they-give-to-their-profession-not-what-they-get-back/
Acting with Tourettes by cool_prius • last post Mar 15th
I'm a stage actor, and I've been told lots of times that I have a very honest, expressive face. But my big hurdle is that I have Tourettes Syndrome. I've gotten pretty good at repressing my tics while I'm onstage or figuring out a way to work them into my movements to mask them. But I feel like, because of that, I can come across as a little stiff in an attempt to compensate. Does anyone else by any chance have this problem? And any suggestions on how to deal? The one positive about it is that whenever I play a character that makes sense to have some kind of a tic, it looks incredibly realistic :)
Action by Jerome Walters • last post Mar 14th
I’m trying to find some action roles to audition for, any good suggestions on where to start looking? I’m new to this.
Contemplating the move to L.A. within 1-2 years by Actor4Life1 • last post Mar 14th
Hi all. Having done 9 co-star roles in episodic TV in the last few years, and a few principal roles in features, I'm seriously thinking about moving out to L.A. (I'm familiar with the driving grid have visited and spent lots of time out there in the past). But I...
NYC actors: what are the best Meisner studios? I’m thinking about taking an intensive this summer by mockmejay • last post Mar 14th
Ive heard of William Esper, Terry Knickerbocker, The Neighborhood Playhouse. Any reviews would be awesome thanks guys. Also I do film more than theatre
Feature project payment by AllHailHeisenberg • last post Mar 14th
I’m in the process of almost finishing rewriting my feature long script. I will be starring myself, and I’ll soon start looking for a director (someone who’s trying to build a portfolio) since I never directed anything myself. I will be starring in this one and will be getting 4-5 other actors. My question is, since I’m doing this to build my resume instead of going out spending years to sell my script or get hired for a role — how would I go about finding actors and how much would you guys expect in pay. Again, I’m a fellow struggling artist, so this would be resume building for all of us. I wouldn’t expect anyone to do anything for free though, however I’m not sure how much the payment should be. I’m in LA.
The cost of living & pursuing acting in NYC & LA simply does NOT equate. It’s all fucking stacked agains you and I’m drowning no matter what I do. by asdgkjbaslkgjb • last post Mar 14th
I’ve been trying this for going on 4 years now, having tried both cities. Each year I make less and less waiting tables and bartending. Now it seems like every job is 25,000 a year MAX. Please, tell me how you survive in NYC or LA on 25,000 a year. Show me the room that’s actually affordable not 2 hours away, let alone one that can be adequate to film a professional self tape. Show me where to grocery shop. Show me which acting classes are affordable. Show me what workshops are affordable. What headshots or ANYTHING acting related I would be able to afford. Not only that but now, restaurant managers seem to want complete open availability or they won’t hire you, so how do you even hold ANY kind of commitment outside of that job? Then, they refuse to give you full time, and refuse to be flexible with scheduling so you can work a 2nd job. So it’s juat a trap. But then, no other survival jobs pay enough to as restaurants do! But then full time jobs, as if they are so easy to get in the first place (these days they are not, becuase plenty of people are competing for them that ARENT actors), don’t give you flexibility for classes, or auditions, or shoots. I mean, I’m at my wits end here. I’ve already lost reps I worked so so hard to get becuae I didn’t have enough money saved to make it work. I want to cry. I want to beat my head against a wall. I truly, truly don’t know how to do this anymore. Literally, the math does not compute, and it’s only getting more expensive and I make less money. How in gods name do any of you do this? I’m just going backwards further and further with no escape or chance to rebuild, I’m drowning. It’s just insane and not doable. How does anybody do this? Please, help me here with advice or suggestions. I can’t move “home” as I don’t have a “home”. Something has to give here, it really does.